The present invention relates generally to single-person watercraft. More specifically, the present invention includes a watercraft designed to be ridden in the prone position on any body of water, including rivers, lakes, streams or oceans, wherein the rider's body is fully supported by, but not enclosed within the craft and the arms and hands are primarily used to power and direct the craft.
People have used many means to navigate and explore bodies of water, such as canoes, kayaks, surfboards, and body boards. These specific crafts have been developed to facilitate travel on the many unique bodies of water found on the earth. Kayaks and Canoes are compatible with whitewater (rivers), flatwater (lakes), creeks, and oceans. Surfboards are primarily designed to ride wave momentum in ocean surf. Body boards are used in some rivers and in ocean surf.
The rider interface on existing human powered watercraft has several features and disadvantages. Kayaks and canoes have the rider seated in a sitting position. This allows for increased torque with the use of a paddle. However, the seated position also raises the center of gravity, thereby increasing instability. Surfboards are made to be ridden on waves while standing and thus offer little stability in flatwater or on rivers. Although a surfboard can be paddled in a prone position, this is secondary to the intention of the craft. Body boards, or boogie boards, are designed to be ridden in the prone position, but such crafts typically extend only as far back as the pelvis, leaving the lower half of the rider's body exposed to rocks or other hazards below the surface of the water. There is also a substantial amount of drag created by the rider's legs being submerged in the water, creating a loss of speed, limiting directional control, and inhibiting response of the craft to the rider's propulsion. This arrangement limits their use in oceans or on rivers.
In the realm of kayaks and canoes, the skill needed to successfully navigate rough waters has limited the spread of the sport due to the level of skill and gear required. The potential for capsizing is the most often-cited deterrent for people interested in kayaking or canoeing. Having the skill to successfully “roll” in a kayak on whitewater creates a criterion for safety and maneuverability that limits a large segment of interested people from traversing certain bodies of water or even trying the sport. Canoes are heavy and, once turned over, are very difficult to return to a righted position and clear of water. In addition to necessary skill, both kayaks and canoes require a certain amount of gear. Kayaks require sprayskirts to keep the internal cavity from filling with water. The sprayskirt is also a deterrent for many to attempt kayaking, because it can create a fear of being trapped within the craft, particularly underwater, when the craft is in an upside down position. Canoes can require extra flotation to fill up the negative space within the boat.